Sauvignon Blanc Ried Edelschuh – Wohlmuth
The 2020 Wohlmuth Sauvignon Blanc Ried Edelschuh is a remarkable dry white wine from the site, or as the Austrians call it, Riede, Edelschuh in Styria, Austria.
The Sauvignon Blanc Edelschuh from the Wohlmuth winery is an opulent representative of its grape variety; on the palate, it displays ripe aromas of yellow tropical fruits, gooseberry, nuances of cassis, a hint of floral honey, and grapefruit zest. A wine with a medium body, subtle extract sweetness, and an arc of refined acidity. And there is always the resonant slate spice, a wonderfully cool minerality, finesse, and precision. The Wohlmuth Sauvignon Blanc Edelschuh is a wine with an unmistakable character; it is immensely dense and fine-meshed, elegant and mineral, and possesses a great arc of tension as well as excellent length. Here, the brilliant interplay of grape variety, soil, vineyard site, and winemaking craftsmanship—which has a 200-year-old tradition at the Wohlmuths—is shown in all its glory. With a little air in a large glass, the Sauvignon Blanc opens up more and more, revealing its great aging potential.
Sauvignon Blanc – from the Edelschuh vineyard
The Sauvignon Blanc vines grow on absolutely steep vineyard slopes planted in slate soils. Influenced by the Illyrian climate, which brings warm winds from the Mediterranean and cool winds from the Alps to the north down to Kitzeck in Southern Styria, and through much manual labor on the steep slopes—which requires an admirable connection to the land—white wines with a distinctive, complex fruit profile are created.
The location, or Riede, Edelschuh is one of the best sites in Southern Styria; as early as 1322, this premium site was already known as such. The vineyard is situated at an altitude of 460-530m and is extremely steep with a 73-90% incline; the soils consist of Paleozoic, red and blue-black, quartzite-rich slate. The vines are between 30-50 years old. From this warm site come wines with a very delicate acid structure and high extract density. The historic vineyard is so steep that it can only be cultivated by hand, sometimes only with the help of a winch. At the upper edge of the barren Edelschuh site, which is oriented entirely toward the south, lies a clearly visible slate wall. Since the 2018 vintage, this special site, which produces multi-layered wines of pronounced minerality and elegance, has been classified as Erste STK (Styrian Classic).
The grapes for this Wohlmuth Sauvignon Blanc Edelschuh are harvested very late in a selective hand-picking process; a short maceration period and a very slow, gentle pressing, as well as spontaneous fermentation in 500l used wooden barrels, preserve fragrance and fruit. The subsequent maturation on the fine lees for more than 12 months ensures a full mouthfeel and a fine creaminess.
a single-vineyard wine and its stats
- Origin: wine from Austria
- Region: Southern Styria
- Single-vineyard wine: Ried Edelschuh
- Grape variety: Sauvignon Blanc
- vegan
- 13.0% vol. alcohol
- 6.9 g/l acidity
- 1.1 g/l residual sugar